Hunter Convenors BBQ 2015
20 February 2015 / Words by Mark Gray, Photos by Peter Hilkmann
With the preparation and organisation completed we were ready to open our Wine Barrel Inn to 40 plus friends of the MX-5 Hunter Chapter.
A warm Sunday afternoon on the 19 January 2015 and the scene was set for a drive with 16 MX-5s and 25 people starting at Beresfield via the back roads of Morpeth and then over to Heddon Greta Hotel for a short drinks break. After refreshments we started again on the final leg over the fresh tar of nearby Mount Sugarloaf en-route to the Wine Barrel Inn. Our quiet street was again transformed into an MX-5 parking lot (lucky the neighbours were warned again) but everyone arrived with smiles ready to enjoy Hunter hospitality.
Tables and chairs set, nibbles ready to go and the hot sun slowly disappearing over the roof, everyone settled in for a drink, a chat, BBQ dinner and desserts before the presentation of the 2014 Chapter MOTY awards and years of service badges were given out.
Our first award of Hunter Chapter New Member of the Year was there and presented to Andrew Mulyk.
Our next award was Member of the Year for Hunter Chapter 2014 is Phil Mayo. It seems to be a recent tradition that the MOTY award recipient is absent, and this year it was Phil's turn. Technology saved the day and a phone link up was established to give Phil the good news. Club President Bryan Shedden raised the stakes by announcing that Phil had also won the Runner-Up Member of the Year for the entire Club. Congratulations Phil!
Bryan had another surprise for us when he presented the New Member of the Year award for the entire Club to a well deserved Karl Mittmann. Special mention to Chris Rhodes who was presented as Runner-Up Member of the Year at the Joadja Christmas Gathering. Hunter Chapter scored in 2014!
After a great afternoon/evening with friends, goodbyes were made and life at the Wine Barrel Inn returned to normal.
Finally at our February Dinner Meeting Phil Mayo was presented with his awards and we gave John Morgan (last years winner) the task of handing the prize Hunter MOTY trophy over to him. Also I presented Phil with the Club Runner-Up Award.
Congratulations to Phil, Karl and Chris.
